Why Apple Universal Binary Is Monster In Size And Apple Products Is Overprice?
Macintosh, Technology 34 Comments »Apple had switched to Intel processors for the last 2,5 years. And the new Macs now runs on Intel platform. Softwares (including the Mac OS X) has to be port to the new platform. Me wondering why the Universal Binary is so huge that it consume the space and practically make the entry level mac is a joke.
Oh yes, you said, “The Universal comprises of the two binaries. One for old PowerPC platform, and the other is for Intel platform.” Yeah rite. But 80GB found on MacBook “Santa Rosa” 1GB RAM with Leopard is really a dog. Practically can’t be used. It’s too slow by my standard. Blame it on Leopard for it’s unoptimized code and scary requirement, and the space consuming binaries that takes up all the 80GB like the money you have in the pocket. It’s gone way too fast!
Apple used to be a nicer platform when it comes to binary optimization. Mac OS classics (System 7, 8, 9) takes up space less frequently than Windows counterpart. I had a PowerMac 6100/60AV with 16MB RAM and 250MB Hard Disk, and the space is about “equal to” 340-420MB on Windows. Now, MacBook and Mac with Intel platform 80GB is about “equal to” 40GB on Windows. Do the math!
Apple, you should seriously consider an Q&A and tight up your standard if you don’t want loose your momentum. Of course an iPod and iPhone would be a real serious “Sony killer”, but let’s check your Mac platform. It’s a dog by today’s standard.
You want a decent MacBook? Go for a “DVDRW” version and a little Hard Disk upgrade to 120GB, but gimme another 200 dollar. For 1,399 (street price in Indonesia) you’ll have a MacBook 2.2GHz with 120GB and DVDRW option rather than the 1,199 (street price) for lower version 2.0GHz with 80GB and DVD Combo (DVD-CDRW).
I check the local mall yesterday and found a nice Toshiba (at last) for the first time. It’s not a “jazzy platform” by MacBook standard (which you’ll find more people carrying MacBook and “feel better” on hotspots area). It’s a Toshiba Satellite U305. I try to check the Toshiba Indonesia website (redirect to Toshiba Asia) but can not find the specific product. Could it be a Parallel Import version? Local distributor please comment on this.
It’s a Pentium Dual Core (a variant of Intel Core 2 Duo with smaller L2 Cache 1MB versus Core 2 Duo 2MB or 4MB ) runs at lowly 1.46GHz, but it boasts a 2GB RAM and 160GB HDD with DVDRW Multi (Dual Layer) as a standard configuration for a price for only 1,000 dollar! It has 5-in-One Card Reader, 3 USB, a 965 chipset (which can carry 4GB RAM a.k.a “Santa Rosa” platform) and FireWire.
Now let’s compare with similar MacBook configuration
For 1,199 dollar streetprice here it runs on Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz with 1GB RAM and a 80GB Hard Disk but with DVDCombo (DVD-CDRW) No Card Reader and “a bonus” of too easy for looking dirty (since it’s white plastic material flaws) and a little “toaster” effect… too hot for your laps since Apple is forcing to put 1″ thick laptop with standard chip and vote design-over-specs without carrying a “low power” version of Intel processor (Low Power version of Core 2 Duo is way too expensive and boast smaller clocks).
Apple enjoys big discount from the king (Intel) for newer chips and bigger discount (since Intel is eye-ing on Apple for 20 years hoping that Apple would takes their chip, Steve swallowed the pills with an exclusive deal that Apple should get better discount than Dell was, and always get hand first on newer and faster chips (sometimes it’s an exclusive offer even surpass Intel longtime partner like HP and Dell). Now seems Apple enjoys big margin by “keeping” the price as original and only adding small updates on specs on it’s product.
There’s also a bunch of people who are trying to migrate from Windows to the Mac platform. For them they requires Bootcamp or a.k.a Partition your space into “Half Mac-Half PC” means the 80GB should be repartition to 40GB Mac and 40GB Windows. Due the Monster Binary in Universal binary found on today’s Mac, I should say 80GB is a joke for today’s Mac. Sure you can always tell to upgrade or opt for “middle specs” MacBook with “only 120GB” space and DVDRW for another 200 dollars. And that would translate a standard conclusion that Apple products is way overprice since 1GB RAM is not usable (with decent speed) for Leopard. Another expenses arise.
Anyone, especially Apple’s directors can always saying that I’m trying to shoot them in the foot. What it really means is we care for you, and don’t want people get disappointed by their first time buying Mac experience. You have to be restructure you pricing scheme. Even worse, by keeping the product too small by offering, it will keep the reseller forcing into a combat in battling for selling lower offering. Lower margin means lower incentive for people selling Mac.
If I were a people with ordinary requirement, specs will reins and it’s not justify by Processor only. Not all people doing the rendering jobs and most people will find their new Mac is “too slow” since it doesn’t fit the requirement (lower RAM installed) and way too fast takes up their space for bloatware binary for the platform.
We wrote this because we care. We care for better product alternatives than Windows. If not why would we care?
*Written on 2,5 years old IBM ThinkPad T42 (Intel Pentium M 1.5GHz with 2GB RAM (upgraded from standard 512MB) and 120GB Hard Disk (upgraded from standard 30GB HDD) with 1400×1050 resolution) ditching my MacBook Pro “Santa Rosa” 2.2GHz with 4GB RAM and 120GB HDD due it’s HEAT and a bit HEAVY to carry around.
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